Along with Duke Ellington, Count Basie was a leading figure of the swing era in jazz and an outstanding representative of big band style. Born William James Basie on August 21, 1904 in Red Bank, New Jersey, he was the son of Harvey Lee Basie and Lillian Ann Childs. (2) His father was a groundskeeper and handyman for several families and his mother took in laundry and was his first piano teacher. Basie first started to learn the drum until fellow Red Bank drummer, Sonnie Greer, discouraged him. (3) Greer went on to become the world renowned drummer who played with
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the Duke Ellington orchestra for almost 50 years. Basie went to piano and later in his late teens learned how to play organ from Fats Weller. By the time he was twenty, Count Basie had moved to New York City and was touring the vaudeville and Columbia Burlesque circuit. (3) This eventually led him to Kansas City where he met many jazz musicians and eventually he joined Walter Page's Blue Devils, and the following year became the pianist with the Bennie Moten band based in Kansas City.(2) After Moten died in 1935, Basie formed a new band, which included many Moten alumni. Up until this point, Basie went by his given name ("William" or "Bill"), but, rumor has it, a radio announcer dubbed him "Count" Basie in the tradition of Swing musicians taking aristocratic titles: for example, "Duke" Ellington. Thereafter, the band simply went by its bandleader's name: Count Basie and His Orchestra.(3) Count Basie eventually moved his band from Kansas City to Chicago and t
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hen on to New York City. Basie's music was characterized by his trademark "jumping" beat and the contrapuntal accents of his own piano. He also showcased some of the most notable blues singers of the era: Billie Holiday, Jimmy Rushing, Big Joe Turner, Helen Humes, and Joe Williams. (2) More importantly, Count Basie was a highly successful bandleader who was able to hold onto some of the most notable jazz musicians of the time.
Count Basie
By the time he was twenty, Count Basie had moved to New York City and was touring the vaudeville and Columbia Burlesque circuit. (3) This eventually led him to Kansas City where he met many jazz musicians and eventually he joined Walter Page's Blue Devils, and the following year became the pianist with the Bennie Moten band based in Kansas City. (2) After Moten died in 1935, Basie formed a new band, which included many Moten alumni. Up until this point, Basie went by his given name ("William" or "Bill"), but, rumor has it, a radio announcer dubbed him "Count" Basie in the tradition of Swing musicians taking aristocratic titles: for example, "Duke" Ellington. Thereafter, the band simply went by its bandleader's name: Count Basie and His Orchestra.(3)
Count Basie eventually moved his band from Kansas City to Chicago and t
Works Consulted
1. "Biographies." PBS - Jazz, a Movie By Ken Burns. Public Broadcasting Service. 6 Mar 2008 <http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_basie_count.htm >.
2. "Count Basie." Swing Music. 2007. Swing Music.net. 6 Mar 2008 <http://www.swingmusic.net/Count_Basie.html >.
3. "William "Count" Basie Biography, Recordings and Videos." Freddie Green. 6 Mar 2008 <http://www.freddiegreen.com/book/basiebio.html >.